Napkin packaging



June 12, 1956 J. B. PICKENS NAPKIN PACKAGING Filed Oct. 7, 1952 WNRM .5? mw e E LL m m an .m T8 F E .0

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INVENTOR. JOSEPH B. PIOKENS max 8. 15mm Aozu'rs United States Patent NAPKIN PACKAGING Joseph-Bilickens, Fallbrook, Calif.

Application October 7,1952, SerialNo. 313,513 1 Claim. (Cl. ZOE-63.2)

The present invention relates generally to packaging and more particularly to a means and method of packaging sanitary napkins.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a package for sanitary napkins which may be used to contain the soiled sanitary napkins for disposal.

Another object of this invention is to provide a package of the type described which affords adequate sanitary protection for the individual sanitary napkin and may be re-sealed after insertion of a soiled napkin.

Another object of this invention is to provide a package of the type described which is inexpensive to produce and costs less to use, being a portion of the original package.

Another object of this invention is to provide a packaging means involving the re-use of the actual containers, simplified both as to structure and method of use so that an extensive advertising campaign of public educational type will not be necessary to assure acceptance and proper use of the invention, simple instructions on the individual packages being all that is required.

Another object is to provide an improved method of packaging as well and to teach the best known mode of carrying the invention into actual practice.

Another object of this invention is to provide a package which is adapted for fabrication from many different materials, so that the choice of material can be according to the dictates of availability and price considerations, the exact sizes and proportions being matters easily determined to suit particular conditions and needs.

Finally, it is an object to provide a package for sanitary napkins of the aforementioned character which is simple and convenient to operate, and which will give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure and wherein similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawing, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of the package.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation view of the package in folded position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the package after re-sealing.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the instruction panel affixed to the package.

Fig. 7 is a partially sectioned perspective view of a plurality of packages contained in a carton.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the package 2,750,033 Patented June 12, 1956 comprises an elongated envelope 10 of paper or other material, preferably waterproof or absorbent, sealed at both ends as indicated at 12, said envelope having a longitudinal folded and expandible portion 14 to permit opening of the envelope to the extended position 16 shown dotted in Fig; 3. The envelope is formed of a single sheet of material folded on itself and sealed along one side as indicated at 18.

An important feature of this invention is the novel packaging arrangement of the napkins in the envelope. The envelope has an extended portion 19. A pull band 20 is secured to the inner surface of the extended portion 19, near the outer end thereof, so that by pulling the pull tab 22 the envelope may be parted allowing an end portion 24 to be removed. Sanitary napkins used in this invention will have opposed extended gauze tabs 26, one of which is initially positioned in the extended portion 19. When the end portion 24 is removed, this exposes the gauze tab 26 of a sanitary napkin 28 contained within the envelope. Exposure of this gauze tab 26 facilitates withdrawal of the napkin 23 from the envelope for use, said envelope being retained to contain the soiled napkin which is inserted with the corresponding gauze tab 26 of the soiled napkin folded as illustrated in Fig. 5, the extended portion 19 of the envelope being re-sealed by rolling as indicated at 30.

An instruction panel 32 is aifixed to or printed on the envelope 10 as illustrated in Fig. 1, said instruction panel containing suitable instructions for re-sealing the envelope after insertion of a soiled napkin as shown in detail in Fig. 6.

The portion of the envelope containing the tab 26 may be folded as illustrated in Fig. 4 to facilitate packing in a suitable carton 34 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7.

In more detail, the steps of the herein disclosed method of packaging comprise the insertion of a sanitary napkin 28 into an envelope 10 with one of the gauze tabs 28 positioned within the extended portion 19 of the envelope, folding the extended portion 19 upon the remaining portion of the envelope and then stacking the folded individual unit in parallel relation with several like folded units, into an outer container 34. These are the main steps in the method, although the complete process actually includes the initial step of making the envelope with an easily removable end portion 24, the pull tab 22 and pull band 20 being incorporated for this purpose.

It will be obvious that the use of a sealed container will provide adequate means for disposal of soiled sanitary napkins in a more esthetic manner than would normally be possible.

The operation of this invention will be clearly coniprehended from a consideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the drawing and the above recited objects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achieved by this invention.

Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawing are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting. For example, the envelope can be constructed of absorbent rather than waterproof material, and the expansible fold 14 may be altered in position and character, or even deleted, all within the metes and bounds of this invention.

I claim:

A package including a sanitary napkin and an envelope; said napkin having a body portion and a gauze tab at one end thereof; said envelope being elongated and having an extended tab-receiving portion at one end thereof; said portion being of reduced cross-sectional dimension; said napkin being in said envelope and said gauze tab being extended linearly of the body portion thereof and disposed within and substantially coextensive in length with said tab-receiving portion; parting means adjacent the free end of the tab-receiving portion to make this end removable, whereby the outer end of said gauze tab is exposed to facilitate withdrawal of the napkin from the envelope; said envelope having a longitudinally disposed pleat to facilitate expansion of the envelope; and said extended portion being slightly stiff material whereby it is adapted to be rolled on itself for re-sealing of the envelope.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

